Scripture Study
Several years ago, a member of the Seventy came to our Stake for a Women's conference. He talked about scripture study and suggested a system to us.
- Get a cheap Book of Mormon
- Get some colored pencils with which to mark them
- Mark them in a manner similar to this (this is how he showed us and how I do it with one variation)
- Take notes on what we study.
- Orange--Historical facts, events
- Yellow--Insights (Spiritual, etc.)
- Green--Things we should do
- Blue--positive consequences.....the blessings we receive from God for doing those things or just because...
- Red--things we shouldn't do
- Brown--the curses or consequences of doing the things that we shouldn't
I must say that this is true. My life has been blessed many fold since I started this program. I have been doing it for several years now and have only managed to get a little over half way through the Book of Mormon. However, I have learned things that I never could have imagined and the spirit has directed my learning (which often coincides with events in my daily life). I have tweaked it a bit so that I could do it electronically. Many of my early notes are on paper but I will do it on here from now on so that we can do it together. Please share your insights in the comments. I look forward to growing spiritually together.
My header and key. It includes two links that I often refer to while I am studying.
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Key:
Green=Things that we should do Blue=Blessings
Red= Things that we shouldn’t do Brown=Consequences or curses
Orange= History/Historical items Yellow/Gold=Spiritual insights
The things above are in a header in my document. I have backed the yellow with pink so that it would be readable for me (and others). Yellow doesn't tend to show up too well on the written page.
The Book of Alma the Son of Alma
Chapter 16
The Lamanites destroy the people of Ammonihah—Zoram leads the Nephites to victory over the Lamanites—Alma and Amulek and many others preach the word—They teach that after His Resurrection Christ will appear to the Nephites. About 81–77 B.C.
Alma 16
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My Thoughts
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1 And it came to pass in the eleventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, on the fifth day of the second month, there having been much peace in the land of Zarahemla, there having been no wars nor contentions for a certain number of years, even until the fifth day of the second month in the eleventh year, there was a cry of war heard throughout the land.
2 For behold, the armies of the Lamanites had come in upon the wilderness side, into the borders of the land, even into the city ofaAmmonihah, and began to slay the people and destroy the city.
3 And now it came to pass, before the Nephites could raise a sufficient army to drive them out of the land, they had adestroyedthe people who were in the city of Ammonihah, and also some around the borders of Noah, and taken others captive into the wilderness.
4 Now it came to pass that the Nephites were desirous to obtain those who had been carried away captive into the wilderness.
5 Therefore, he that had been appointed chief captain over the armies of the Nephites, (and his name was Zoram, and he had two sons, Lehi and Aha)—now Zoram and his two sons, knowing that Alma was high priest over the church, and having heard that he had the spirit of prophecy, therefore they went unto him and desired of him to know whither the Lord would that they should go into the wilderness in search of their brethren, who had been taken captive by the Lamanites.
6 And it came to pass that Alma ainquired of the Lord concerning the matter. And Alma returned and said unto them: Behold, the Lamanites will cross the river Sidon in the south wilderness, away up beyond the borders of the land of bManti. And behold there shall ye meet them, on the east of the river Sidon, and there the Lord will deliver unto thee thy brethren who have been taken captive by the Lamanites.
7 And it came to pass that Zoram and his sons crossed over the river Sidon, with their armies, and marched away beyond the borders of Manti into the south wilderness, which was on the east side of the river Sidon.
8 And they came upon the armies of the Lamanites, and the Lamanites were scattered and driven into the wilderness; and they took their brethren who had been taken captive by the Lamanites, and there was not one soul of them had been lost that were taken captive. And they were brought by their brethren to possess their own lands.
9 And thus ended the eleventh year of the judges, the Lamanites having been driven out of the land, and the people of Ammonihah were adestroyed; yea, bevery living soul of the Ammonihahites wascdestroyed, and also their dgreat city, which they said God could not destroy, because of its greatness.
10 But behold, in aone day it was left desolate; and the bcarcasseswere mangled by dogs and wild beasts of the wilderness.
11 Nevertheless, after many days their adead bodies were heaped up upon the face of the earth, and they were covered with a shallow covering. And now so great was the scent thereof that the people did not go in to possess the land of Ammonihah for many years. And it was called Desolation of bNehors; for they were of the profession of Nehor, who were slain; and their lands remained desolate.
12 And the Lamanites did not come again to war against the Nephites until the fourteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi. And thus for three years did the people of Nephi have continual peace in all the land.
13 And Alma and Amulek went forth preaching repentance to the people in their atemples, and in their bsanctuaries, and also in theircsynagogues, which were built after the manner of the Jews.
14 And as many as would hear their words, unto them they did impart the word of God, without any arespect of persons, continually.
15 And thus did Alma and Amulek go forth, and also many more who had been chosen for the work, to preach the word throughout all the land. And the establishment of the church became general throughout the land, in all the region round about, among all the people of the Nephites.
16 And there was ano inequality among them; the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their bhearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming—
17 That they might not be hardened against the word, that they might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction, but that they might receive the word with joy, and as a abranch be grafted into the true vine, that they might enter into the brest of the Lord their God.
18 Now those apriests who did go forth among the people did preach against all blyings, and cdeceivings, and denvyings, andestrifes, and malice, and revilings, and stealing, robbing, plundering, murdering, committing adultery, and all manner of lasciviousness, crying that these things ought not so to be—
19 Holding forth things which must shortly come; yea, holding forth the acoming of the Son of God, his sufferings and death, and also the resurrection of the dead.
20 And many of the people did inquire concerning the place where the Son of God should come; and they were taught that he wouldaappear unto them bafter his resurrection; and this the people did hear with great joy and gladness.
21 And now after the church had been established throughout all the land—having got the avictory over the devil, and the word of God being preached in its purity in all the land, and the Lord pouring out his blessings upon the people—thus ended the fourteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
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Because of the righteousness of the people, they have peace for a time.
However, the words of the prophets must be fulfilled. The Lamanites invade so as fulfill the words of the prophet....even as Alma had foretold...so comes upon the heads of the Ammonihahites. The curse of their own wickedness comes upon their heads. "Wickedness never was happiness" nor ever will be. The wicked will always fall once they are justly condemned. The Nephites try to raise an army to defend them but are too late....surely this is by God's design that this is the first place that the Lamanites attack. The Nephites want to retrieve their fellow countrymen even though it might mean war....to their credit, they do not want to leave them in the hands of the wicked Lamanites. Zoram asks Alma, the prophet, to guide him in what to do to retrieve their brethren. He realizes that only help from God can allow them to retrieve their brethren and stop the Lamanites before they get back to their own lands. Sounds like Zoram and his sons have had previous experience with the gift of prophecy and the prophets of the Lord. The Prophet Alma helps them and inquires of the Lord regarding the matter. So first it sounds as though Alma asked the Lord IF they can have help and THEN having gotten an affirmative answer, asks what their plan should be. Alma receives information that can only have come from God if it is true. It is also very specific. So now Zoram is left to follow it or determine his own way. The elect to follow the prophets counsel and go to where he has designated. They discover the Lamanites precisely where the prophet has told them that they will. It profits a man/woman to follow the counsel of the prophets. They also managed to rescue all of the captives that the Lamanites had taken. The captives were restored to their lands and homes. (Had their homes been destroyed? If they were, they probably got assistance rebuilding them.) Lamanites are driven out of the land and the Nephites are once again safe. Every inhabitant of Ammonihah was destroyed...as was their city. They said that their great city was too great for even God to destroy. Hmmm...seems to me like playing chicken with God! We know who's going to win that contest. Not only was it destroyed but it was destroyed in just one day. It seems as though God is making a very loud statement to the inhabitants of the land. Even their land was in a sense destroyed because it was uninhabitable for some time after they were destroyed. For a time, the Nephites have peace in the land. Alma and Amulek continue to preach the gospel to the inhabitants of the land of Nephi. They teach whomever will listen without respect to who they were. Alma, Amulek, and others who have been called to the work (missionaries) go forth upon the land and preach the gospel. The church is established throughout their nation. The time of the coming of the Savior is imminent. The prophets know this and strive to prepare the hearts of the people for His coming. ....So that they will listen to and accept Him when He comes. Hardened heart=rejecting God's word=
DESTRUCTION
Receive word=Joy= grafted in to become a son or daughter of God in His house.
The ordained priests went out and did their duty. The taught the gospel and encouraged repentance. They specifically delineated the things that are no-no's They also taught the prophesies of those things which were to come...particularly as they related to the coming of the Savior to earth. The people rightly wanted to know if they would get to see the Savior when He came to earth. They were thinking about the things that they were taught.....instead of just listening and going on with their lives. They STUDIED it out in their minds. They were assured that they would see the Savior....after his resurrection. The blessings of the gospel bring joy and gladness. They are themselves part of the blessings. The people are richly blessed because of their adherence to the gospel principles which they have been taught. Satan has no more power over them. |
Be faithful over a few things…from this I get the implication that it doesn’t matter how much we have or have not in mortality. What matters is how we use what we have been given…how do we administer and/or magnify our stewardships?
Discerning of Spirits by Power of Priesthood (JTPJS 205)
Every one of these professes to be competent to try his neighbor’s spirit, but no one can try his own, and what is the reason? Because they have not a key to unlock, no rule wherewith to measure, and no criterion whereby they can test it. Could any one tell the length, breadth or height of a building without a rule? Test the quality of metals without a criterion, or point out the movements of the planetary systems, without a knowledge of astronomy? Certainly not; and if such ignorance as this is manifested about a spirit of this kind, who can describe an angel of light? If Satan should appear as one in glory,6 who can tell his color, his signs, his appearance, his glory, or what is the manner of his manifestation? Who can detect the spirit of the French prophets with their revelations and their visions, and power of manifestations? Or who can point out the spirit of the Irvingites, with their apostles and prophets, and visions and tongues, and interpretations, etc. Or who can drag into daylight and develop the hidden mysteries7 of the false spirits8 that so frequently are made manifest among the Latter-day Saints?9 We answer that no man can do this without the Priesthood,10 and having by which spirits are governed; for as no man knows the things of God, but by the Spirit of God,1 so no man knows the spirit of the devil, and his power and influence, but by possessing intelligence which is more than human, and having unfolded through the medium of the Priesthood the mysterious operations of his devices; without knowing the angelic form, the sanctified look and gesture, and the zeal that is frequently manifested by him for the glory of God,2 together with the prophetic spirit, the gracious influence, the godly appearance, and the holy garb, which are so characteristic of his proceedings and his mysterious windings.
A man must have the discerning of spirits3 before he can drag into daylight this hellish influence and unfold it unto the world in all its soul-destroying, diabolical, and horrid colors; for nothing is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit when they think they have the Spirit of God. Thousands have felt the influence of its terrible power and baneful effects. Long pilgrimages have been undertaken, penances endured, and pain, misery and ruin have followed in their train; nations have been convulsed, kingdoms overthrown, provinces laid waste, and blood, carnage and desolation are habiliments in which it has been clothed.
This is why I must know if this revelation is of God or not….the priesthood has that power.
Thought from Alma 12:24
We can compare this to society’s obsession with health and developing healthy minds and bodies.
We know that what we DO with our bodies determines what they will look like and how well they will function. Why then is it such a reach for people to transfer that to an eternal perspective. What we DO with our minds and bodies IN THE HERE AND NOW determines what our eternal bodies will look like and how well they will function IN THE ETERNITIES. The only way that this differs is in its application.
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